RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, CHARLESTON.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 313, 1 August 1868, Page 5

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, CHARLESTON.

Thursday, July 30. (Before C. Broad, Esq., R. M.) Samuel Carsons, Richard Patter, and Walter Miller, were each fined 20s for being drunk. GEO. HALL V. MRS MIRFIX. Mr Home appeared for complainant. This was an information charging the defendant with committing a violent assault on tlie complainant, who is toll keeper at the Nile Bridge. G-eorge Hall said, I keep the Nile Bridge toll gate, and on Sunday last recollect Mr and Mrs Mirfin crossing. I declined to let them pass until the toll was paid. I did not speak to Mrs Mirfin, I only spoke to Mr Mirfin. The latter said he would pay in coming back but I objected, and as he refused, I took hold of the bridle of his horse Mnd told him he must pay before he crossed. He again said he would pay on returning, but I remarked he had gone over before and not paid, and refused to let him go. Mrs Mirfin said " pay him" and he did so, and she then said she would teach me to insult her. They then crossed the bridge. About a quarter of an hour after, Mr Mirfin returned without Mrs Mirfin, and about four minutes after that Mrs Mirfin crossed. She lifted a supple jack she had in her hand and said I'll give it you for insulting me in that manner. She then began thrashing me with the switch, and to save myself I closed with the horse. My hat was knocked off and still the blows were dealt upon my head and shoulders. Somebody after this came up, took hold of my collar, and I felt myself between the two horses, the woman whipping, and the man dragging, and I lost my footing, and falling, was dragged about twelve yards by Mr and Mrs Mirfin. After I got up she wished to resume the whipping, but Mr Mirfin said "you've done plenty, that will do," and led her away to the hotel. The witness was cross-examined by Mr Mirfin, but without his evidence being shaken, the witness denying emphatically having said anything to Mrs Mirfin or called her a name which was written on paper and handed to witness. Chas. H. O. Bowen said that on Sunday last he was standing at the end of the Nile bridge with a number of persons, when Mr and Mrs Mirfin rode up, and there was some dispute about the toll between the toll keeper and Mr Mirfin. They crossed the bridge and he was still there when they returned, Mr Mirfin first and Mrs Mirfin a few minutes after. He did not see the commencement but heard Mrs Mirfin say she would give Hall a good horsewhipping, and saw her thrashing him. Afterwards saw Mr Mirfin go and collar Hall, and between the horses and the riders he was dragged some distance along the ground. Cross examined —The dispute arose apparently from a auestion as to previous payment of tolls. George Charles Bowman, and G-eorge Wegg Home, gave evidence entirely in accordance with that of two previous witnesses. The defence was that great provocation had been given, the complainant having made use of a most offensive expression to Mrs Mirfin. His Worship said a most unprovoked assault had evidently been committed ; he should inflict a fine in this instance but as in cases of this nature it was the husband of the virago who had to pay the penalty, and to deter other ladies from following the example of the present defendant, he gave notice that in the next ca3e of the kind which came before him, he should > end the culprit to the gaol. The defendant was fined £5 and costs, Charles Mirfinwas then charged with assaulting Geo. Hall in the manner above described, and was sentenced to pay a nominal fine of 20s.